Gray Surfacing
by Ragnarok's End
Summary: Sort of a "sneak peek" for my upcoming story. Nea has come much sooner than expected. Lavi observes the opposite view. And there may be a third side in this fierce war. Rating may go up.


**A/N: Test chapter. I will likely go in later and edit it to make it much better. But I would like to see if there's an audience for this. I'm still finishing writing this story for now, and I'm quite excited for it. Consider this a sneak peek. Comment?**

Allen's Noah first made it's appearance in the first month following Mana's second death. He didn't like to think about either event. Doing so typically led to panic attacks, and his master wasn't exactly helpful at those times.

But back to the Noah.

He first thought the gray fading from his skin was the resulting of him awaking from a nightmare, and him still not being fully awake when he stared at the sight in confusion one morning. His age at the time: eleven.

He'd dismissed any thoughts of it, mainly as he'd had to deal with enough unsettling and sinister things in recent times, and worrying would do absolutely nothing as he knew far too well.

Paranoia gripped his heart in a vice this first week. He awoke every following morning to this strange gray _whatever_ staining his typically very pale skin. Exactly one week after he had first seen this occurrence, he'd managed to catch his appearance in a mirror, where he met golden eyes.

His eyes had been grey.

He thought, perhaps, some color was beginning to return, and that the initial color fading was a simple, temporary side affect of his being cursed by Mana. He'd hoped that was the case.

However, as the second week continued on, he found his thoughts beginning to contribute to his mental debates in a voice he did not at all recognize. He couldn't dismiss that, no matter how much he wanted to, and nagging feelings told him something in him was changing, and that his path was no longer his own.

Shadows moved and took shapes as he walked past and during his apprentice duties he'd catch them lurking over his shoulder, trailing through his path.

Memories that he had never had were experienced through dreams. He saw Mana, sometimes, sometimes younger and occasionally older. Other times he saw people who also had gray skin and golden eyes, though they're smiles were typically cruel looking enough for him to start awake in fright.

It was on the eve of the third week that he decided he had to tell his master- if nothing else, out of fear for his sanity.

-/-/-/-/-/-

Master Cross was, Allen thought, a very difficult man to understand. Or perhaps simply a psychopath. Even he, spending as much time as he did with the man, couldn't even begin to guess.

Master Cross had been very quick to pick him up after the despair he'd experienced in Mana's second death, and had put his new apprentice to work before the grieving process had properly run it's course. Perhaps that was a good thing. If Allen Walker was going to keep walking, as he had assured Mana he would, he had no time for moping.

He'd already grieved once for his father. No need to repeat the process.

Though Allen had become Cross' apprentice for the sole purpose of freeing the akuma- mechanical demons- from their prison of eternal hell, to the day he had learned very little; except what he thought to ask Cross in his sober and more patient moments. Not that he was an incredibly patient man at all.

No, typically the only sign that the man gave to acknowledge Allen's existence was in order to make the boy his distraction in a getaway, or when he needed money for paying off his hefty debts that he seemed to accumulate everywhere they'd go.

On the bright side, Allen got to learn some tricks to win cards, or would perform a balance act on the streets. When he did the latter, he could shut out the fact that he was getting absolutely nowhere in his new resolution. He could sometimes, convince himself that he was hope- home always being the circus, and only the circus. Of course. He wondered if the members miss him or Mana. The thought made his heart give a dull pang of pain.

But how could he leave, when he had sinned so? How could he not try to make up for the monstrosity he had so foolishly and naively created?

And so he remained with Cross Marian. Because he no longer had a choice.

At least he knew one friend in this new world that liked him. Timcanpy, Cross' golden golem, had taken an immediate liking to his master's new white-haired charge, and now remained with him more often than Cross. Initially Allen had been certain this creature was for surveillance and followed him around for nothing more than to record his actions. He soon saw the error of his ways, and was certain this metal thing somehow had emotions, and could perceive and understand.

The golem flew at Allen and nuzzled his cheek affectionately as the boy gathered his courage and entered the master's room.

This was something Allen rarely did, as he was often thrown out or greeted with a locked door. Today, though, they were preparing to leave for their next destination. Allen had no clue where, but then again he was rarely told anything. He didn't mind most of the time. He loved seeing new places, even if it were just the casinos and hotels.

His master was looking distastefully around his hotel room, and Allen sighed soundlessly. They'd only been in this location three days, but his master wasn't organized. It was likely the reason for their sudden departure as his master hated dirty things, even when he was the reason for the aforementioned mess.

His master didn't nod a head at Allen, or show any other sign that he knew his apprentice had arrived., leaving the gray-eyed boy to shift nervously. He really wanted to just say what was happening and come out with it, but this was Cross. He may not even care that Allen was slipping into the clutches of madness.

Nearly five minutes had passed until Cross gave a breathy sigh and looked up from appraising his room. "What is it?"

Allen's mouth instantly went dry, and the speech he had originally repaired took a total suicide dive from his memory. Bored and slightly irritated as he waited for his apprentice's response, Cross turned and began stuffing clothes into his suitcase.

Terrified that Cross would now ignore him, Allen blurted the first thing that came to his mind.

"M-my skin turned gray!" He clenched his fists. Damn. So much for remaining calm and composed.

Cross didn't even turn in Allen's direction. "Are you hallucinating, idiot? You're one of the palest kids I've ever met."

Allen was frustrated and had to take a deep breath to collect himself.

What the boy didn't see was Cross' subtle stiffening of his shoulders, and the flash of alarm in his eyes. Surely it was far, far too early for Neah's return? Perhaps Mana's death had shaken something loose. Whatever it was, he was ashamed to say he wasn't prepared.

"I-I've been hearing a voice, too," Allen stammered. "And there are shadows- Master, I think I- I may be-" he didn't finish that sentence, instead beginning another. "Last week my eyes turned gold. They weren't brown like they used to be. Do you know-"

"-Why that might be?" Cross supplied. He didn't have to turn to know Allen had given a shaky nod. Another breathy sigh and he had looked back, and begun to step towards Allen.

They boy's face was so desolate and confused looking that it was nearly heart breaking, but Cross only took Tim from Allen and turned back for his bag. "Go get your things, we're leaving in ten minutes."

Allen was frustrated, but his master hadn't dismissed the matter. Therefore, maybe they would discuss it again soon. He hoped so. Feeling just a little lighter, he ran back into his room for his long packed bag.


End file.
